I Could Be Good For You
by ReKoJ
Summary: This is set in an alternative Universe where Dom and Subs are normal. *** Phil had a sub, she had been good but she was gone. He walks into his office one day to find that Fury has decided that he needs another one. Phil is less than happy.
1. Chapter 1

Phil was not in the market for another Sub and everyone inside S.H.I.E.L.D. knew that. He had a Sub but she was gone. He had had the same sub since entering into the FBI but she had been killed while on a mission, that was the problem when you had a Sub that was part of the same faction as you. She had been killed and Phil had taken her death particularly hard, Fury had noticed and he knew that the best thing that he could do for him was to give him something that would occupy him.

Phil, however, was a little less than enthused when he stepped inside his office to find a dark haired young man, on his knees beside his desk; his head was down with hands clasped behind his back. Phil shut the door behind him and walked in a circle around the man. He knelt so that he was at eye level with the man (or at least he would have been if he could get the man to look up). Phil put two of his fingers under the other man's chin and lifted his head up, there should have been eye contact but even though his head was up, he was still looking at the ground.

Coulson sighed. He knew that as much as he didn't want the young man here, if he didn't start this off on the right foot then this young man would think that he had certain liberties and it would be that much harder to train him. He wasn't stupid, he knew that this was probably Fury's doing and as soon as he possibly could he was going to have a very long discussion with Fury. The last thing that Phil needed or wanted as another Sub. Coulson looked at the young man who had still to meet his gaze.

"You will look at me when I speak to you. You will answer without hesitation. You will address me as 'Sir.' I expect and will accept nothing less than complete obedience. Disrespect to me or to anyone in this building will not be tolerated. When I am working you will kneel as you are now and will stay that way until told otherwise. Is that understood?" He knew that the conditions that he had just stated were a bit harsh but he also knew that depending on who had owned this man before, he would be used to strict rules (and more than likely harsh punishments). Phil waited patiently for what he said to completely sink in.

The man on his knees lifted his gaze. "Yes Sir."

Coulson removed his hand from the young man's chin. "Good. Now I need to go and talk to Director Fury. You will remain here." It wasn't a question but a statement and the man on his knees couldn't help but feel as though it was some sort of test. Phil watched as he bowed his head.

"Yes Sir."

"Good boy." Phil ran a hand through the man's hair. He sighed inwardly as the other man all but melted into his touch. As he got up and left his office he knew that there were several questions that he needed answers to. He also knew that talking to Fury was the only way that he was going to get them.

He stood right in front of Fury's office door, hand poised in the air as he prepared to knock. He knew that the last thing that he needed was another Sub but he also was fearful for the man in his office. What would happen to him if he told Fury that not only did he not need or want another Sub but that he was not going to assume responsibility for this one? He hardened his expression and knocked on the door.


	2. Chapter 2

Even before he had heard the knock he had known that Phil was more than likely angry and on his way to his office. Fury wasn't all that concerned. He normally didn't meddle in the affairs of his officers, particularly really good ones like Phil Coulson. He knew that Elizabeth's death was still heavy in the air (and no matter how many times he told him that that had not been his fault, Phil seemed bent on blaming himself) but he also knew that Phil needed the distraction. He knew (from experience) that new Subs could be a lot of fun, but that they were also a lot of work. He put a file on his desk as he waited for the knock.

The knock came, loud and angry. "Come in Phil." Fury smiled (that in itself was terrifying) as Phil walked into his office, the expression on his face clearly saying that he was less than happy about what Fury had done. Despite being so angry that he was pretty sure that he was seeing spots, Phil didn't say or do anything until he was completely in the office, with the door securely shut.

Phil stood in front of Fury, his hands clasped tightly behind his back. Fury had known Phil long enough that this wasn't out of respect for Fury's authority, it wasn't because he was showing a sign of submissiveness (Agent Phil Coulson didn't exactly do submissive behaviour), this was because he was so angry that he was afraid that if they weren't behind his back, he would clock someone.

"Is there a problem, Coulson?" Fury had picked up the file from his desk as he stared Coulson down. He knew that if Phil had been one of the new recruits he would have said that there wasn't and walked away, but this was Phil they were talking about.

The glare that Coulson gave Fury was cold as ice. "Who is the man kneeling in my office and why is here there?"

Fury handed Coulson the folder, "His name is Clint Burton. He has excellent skills in hand-to-hand combat and archery. He is an excellent marksman and his aim is deadly. One of our recruiters rescued him from one of our marks; he was being beaten pretty badly. He's already been to medical, his physical wounds will heal but I know that the mental scars that he has will take longer. I know that you said that you didn't want another Sub, but he needs someone that will be gentle but firm…immediately I thought of you. Things have been slow lately and I thought that you could use a distraction. Was I wrong?"

Coulson inhaled and collected his thoughts. "Where is his former Dom? If I do decide to keep him, the last thing that I need is for some asshole to find him and try to reclaim him."

Fury smiled, he knew that Coulson wouldn't be able to reject the young man that he had placed in his office. "The Dom has been taken care of. It's as I told you, he was mistreating the young man, he had been wanted for more than one transgression against his Subs, not to mention that his behaviour had been so questionable that there are several agencies that wanted to talk to him, so he's arrested…and he's going to be staying that way for a very long time. And when they are done with him he is going to jail, but by the time they are finished with him, Clint's contract would have been voided and the new one, saying that he belongs to you would have been typed, signed and sealed." Fury paused "if you'll take him that is. If not, then once his contract is voided he would be up for grabs and anyone could take him."

Coulson knew that tactic that Fury was trying to use. Although even he knew that part of it was true. If Phil didn't take the young man then he would be up for grabs by any agency and who knew what type of person would claim him. Coulson sighed and Fury knew that he had won. "Where do I sign?"

Fury clapped a hand on Phil's shoulder. "I will have Maria bring all of the necessary paper work later on today."

Phil nodded, "Fine. I just hope that this doesn't blow up in all of our faces." Phil left Fury's office and started back towards his own. He was just hoping that he was doing the right thing. As he opened the door, he realized that in the end it really didn't matter, he wouldn't be able to fuck up any worse then Clint's other owners already had. As he walked into his office he was very pleased to find Clint still kneeling by his desk, with his hands clasped behind his back and his head bowed.


	3. Chapter 3

When Phil first left the room, Clint let his shoulders relax just a bit. He had already been in the same position for hours. His shoulders ached and his knees were sore from being on the hard wood of the floor, even his neck hurt from having his head bowed. He was tempted to lose his posture, if only for a moment. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He remembered his first Dom; he had said that a slave was only as good as his Dom trained him to be. He wanted to be good for Coulson. He didn't know what would happen if he was less than perfect. Although that wasn't completely true, he knew that if he were less than perfect, he would be punished. He was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard footsteps coming towards the door, he straightened his posture so that it was perfect, made sure his head was bowed but not so much that his chin was touching his chest and waited.

Coulson stopped just short of his own office door. He knew that there was a young man in there, waiting for him and whatever instruction that he would give. It had been a long time since he had had to train a slave, he had trained Elizabeth but that had been a long time ago. He debated on going in there, sitting at his desk and doing the paper work that he knew needed his attention. But he knew he wasn't going to do that. He had no idea how long Clint had been left kneeling in his office, when the young man had eaten last, when he had last showered or even slept. No, he would have to go into his office and take the young man back to his house. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves and walked inside.

He walked over to his desk, making sure that he walked a slow circle around Clint. He ran a hand through Clint's short hair, stopping at his neck. He let his hand just rest on the back of Clint's neck (he tried to ignore the way Clint seemed to calm down at the skin to skin contact) as he gathered up as much of the paper work that could be safely taken back to his house. He had no idea if he was even going to get any of it done but he figured that he would bring it with him on the off chance that he did do some of it. He stood up from his desk, removing his hand from Clint's neck. "Up."

In a move that was practiced grace, Clint gets to his feet in one fluid motion. He stands, with his head still bowed; his feet together and his hands are clasped in front of him. Phil nods in appreciation and briefly wonders why anyone would want to hurt this young man (he is aware that he has only met the boy and that not everyone was slave material, but he seemed so eager to please, so eager to prove that he could be good that Phil had a hard time imagining him doing something wrong on purpose).

Phil realized just as he went to leave that he had forgotten the collar that he usually uses when he first gets a new slave, although you can't really count that as forgetting, how do you forget something that you didn't know you needed? It's easier to get them out of the building without the other Dom's groping them and being a general pain in the ass if the sub is collared. "Let me see your wrists," without hesitation or even so much as a glance up, Clint put his hands in front of him, palms up. He seems completely unphased when Phil snaps a pair of handcuffs on him. These cuffs are unlike anything that he has ever seen. They look like regular handcuffs except that there is a long chain with a loop on the end in the middle of them. He's unsurprised when Phil grabs the chain in the middle and loops is around his hand. Clint doesn't really like being lead around like he is a prize or a dog but he knows that he has not been given permission to speak and that if this is Phil's will then he best keep his mouth shut about it. As Phil leads him out of the building and into the awaiting car, Clint had seen why the cuffs were a necessity. As they had walked out, there were catcalls, whistles and someone had even tried to grab at his ass. When they got into the car, Phil had taken the cuffs off. Phil was somewhat surprised (but figured he should not have been) when even after the cuffs were taken off, Clint's head remained bowed and his hands remain clasped in front of him.

The drive to the house is uneventful. Phil stayed off the main roads; the back roads were more scenic anyway. Clint stared at his shoes; he figured that since he didn't know all that much about his new owner, that it would be best just to remain silent. Phil was also quiet on the drive in. He knew that once he got Clint situated he would have to do a background check on every owner that that the boy had had, every hospital trip and a list of any and all operations. He needed to know exactly what he was getting himself into, that way he would know exactly how to proceed.

He pulled the car into his garage, automatically closing the door as he did so. He looked in the rearview mirror, Clint's head was still bowed, his hands still in front of him, his posture as straight as sitting in the car would allow him but there was something off, his breathing seemed relaxed, regulated. As Phil continued to study the man he realized that Clint had fallen asleep. He chuckled softly as he turned off the car and briefly wondered if getting him into the house without waking him up was even possible.


	4. Chapter 4

Clint sat up suddenly; he was in a room, on a bed. Not in the car, he was horrified. He didn't remember falling asleep, he took a deep breath to try and calm his pounding heart. This was no way to start off with his new owner, what if Coulson was like Master Parks? As Clint forced himself out of the bed, he shivered at the thought. He had only been with Master Parks for a couple of days, on his first morning there he was supposed to have been up before his Master (keep in mind that he was 10, at the time) and when he failed to wake his Master up, he was beaten into unconsciousness. He wasn't exactly sure what happened after that, all he knew was that when he regained consciousness he was back at the compound (the compound was where you were sent when either your Master died, you were too old to be useful or you were unruly or disobedient to the point where your owner just wants to be rid of you).

Clint wasted no time in taking a quick shower, brushing his teeth and making himself as presentable as possible. He put his clothes in the laundry hamper, hoping that was what Coulson wanted, there were no clean clothes set out for him, so he sank to his knees at the foot of the bed (thankful that the bedroom had carpeting), straightened his back, placed his hands behind him and bowed his head. He would wait there until Coulson came in; to keep himself from drifting he slowly started to count.

Coulson looked up from his computer to check the time. He had had to enlist the help of one of his neighbour's once he realized that there was no way in hell that he was going to be able to carry his new slave up the stairs to the house. His neighbour had picked the younger man up with relative ease and carried him up the stairs and placed him on the bed, that had been a couple of hours ago. He walked up the stairs, he knew that he would not wake him up if he was still asleep, but if he was awake there were some things that they needed to get out of the way.

Clint straightened his posture as he heard footsteps approaching, he didn't want to give Coulson any reason to be disappointed in him. Coulson opened the door and was a bit surprised by what he saw, he knew that he probably shouldn't be, he hadn't told Clint what was expected of him when they reached his new home, he had left no clear instruction for when Clint awoke, hell, he hadn't even bothered to wake him when they had reached the house. He knew how this had to have looked to the young man, so when he walked into the Master bedroom to find Clint kneeling, naked on the floor he shouldn't have been surprised.

For a few seconds Phil just stood in the doorway to the bedroom. There was a lot that he supposed that he should say but he knew that there was something very important that needed to be done first, this was protocol and he knew that once it was done, Clint would feel more at ease and hopefully he would realize that Phil wasn't going to toss him out. Phil walked completely into the room as he walked by Clint he ran his hand down the man's back and tried to ignore the way the man shuddered; he was obviously starved for physical attention, not that Phil was overly surprised. He walked over to his set of drawers, opened the top one and pulled a collar out. It was a simple collar, made of black leather, with a strip of purple going all the way around it, with an o-ring and a buckle, the buckle had a lock. This was the collar that he put on his 'pets' when they were at home, it had a mate that didn't have a lock and therefore was easier to take off. When and if he allowed Clint to work the latter would be the one that he would wear but for now the first one would suit his purposes just fine.

He walked over to where Clint was still kneeling on the floor. He noted that the man was shaking; it was just a slight tremble. He didn't know if it was from fear, anticipation, nervousness or maybe he was cold. Phil knelt so that he was at eye level. "Look up." He smiled when without so much as a second thought Clint raised his head; there was confusion in his eyes, that was until his gaze settled on the collar that was still in Clint's hand, and then there had been a brief look of relief. At first Phil only buckled the collar, once it was around Clint's neck, making sure that he could easily stick 2 fingers between where the collar and Clint's neck was. He knew that it wasn't too tight but he also knew that if this was going to work, if he was going to get Clint to realize that he was on as equal footing as was allowed, he was going to have to show him that it was okay to disagree, "is it too tight?"

Clint almost shook his head but then he remembered the rules that he'd been given. "No Sir." He shivered when Phil ran his hand through his hair and he finished buckling the collar on and locking it.

"Good boy." Phil watched Clint's face as he called him a good boy. It was like watching a kid at Christmas, opening up a present that he had wanted for a long time. There was a light in his eyes that just suddenly seemed to be there, it was one of the strangest things that he had ever seen. It saddened him too, his reaction just let Phil get a glimpse of the horror and mistreatment that the beautiful man had gone through.

Clint knew that it was dangerous to compare one owner to another but at the same time he couldn't help it and he didn't see the harm as long as he didn't voice any of this out loud. But he had fully expected that Coulson would probably collar him and then fuck him, marking him completely as Coulson's property, not that he wouldn't pretend to enjoy it; of course he would. He was surprised, confused and shocked when none of that happened. After Phil had locked the collar around his neck, he stood and stepped away from him.

"Did you shower?" Phil asked. He knew that he must have but if there was one thing that Phil had learned in all of his years of keeping a 'pet' it was to assume nothing.

"Yes Sir." Clint had gone back to looking at the ground.

"Okay. Let's get you dressed and then we'll go to the kitchen and find something to eat." As he spoke he began rummaging through the closet looking for clothes that would fit. He knew that in a couple of days he would have to take him clothes shopping but he didn't want too over whelm him.

It was posed as a suggestion but Clint knew that it was a demand. Clint let his neutral mask slip back into place. As he put on the blue jeans with the black t-shirt that Phil handed him, he was confused. Not that he was complaining, he couldn't remember the last time he had been given anything to eat and at least Phil wasn't going to require him to eat naked (one of his previous owners had thought it funny to make him eat on all fours like an animal). He followed Phil down stairs and into the kitchen, not that Phil had given him much of a choice. When your owner took you by the hand and started walking, especially one that had been so kind and patient with you, you followed and without question.


	5. Chapter 5

Phil had made them a simple lunch of tuna sandwiches and tomato soup. Clint was hungry but he was unsure if he should eat, he knew that in most cases it was expected that he wait for his owner to start first, he was unaccustomed to being allowed to sit at the table with his owner (aside from Master Parks the one called him an animal) he had always been made to kneel beside his owner and await permission to eat, sometimes it was given and other times he was out of luck.

When they walked into the dining area, Clint was at a complete loss at what he was supposed to do. The table had already been set, Phil gestured to one of the empty chairs, "please sit." Clint almost declined but then he remembered who he was, who he had been talking to and the unsettling consequence that was sure to arise if he voiced his discomfort. Clint sat, staring at the ground (at least the best he could, seeing as he was seated at the table).

Phil looked at the younger man as he sipped his coffee. He knew that Clint had to be hungry, from what Fury told him; he had been brought in and sent directly to Coulson's office, after a brief meeting with Fury. And from what Coulson found in his file, the conditions that he was found in weren't the nicest, it was speculated that he hadn't eaten in a few days and so at first Coulson wasn't sure why the man wasn't eating. "Don't like what I have prepared for lunch?" Phil knew immediately that he'd said the wrong thing. Clint paled and his eyes seemed to glaze over.

With the words out of Phil's mouth, Clint was flooded with a memory that he thought that he'd forgotten. He'd just turned 18 and he'd been given to a man as a present (not all that uncommon). At first he thought that the man was going to be nice to him, he seemed nice enough. But then one day, they were eating lunch and Clint wasn't eating. He had been nervous about this new man and whenever he'd gotten really nervous like this he had always had a hard time eating. He saw the flash of anger in his new owner's eyes "Don't like what I have prepared for lunch? Stand."

As Clint stood, his new owner had walked over grabbed him by his shoulders and forced him to his knees. "Open your mouth." Clint had done as he was told, "don't you dare fucking bite me or I will remove all of your teeth." Clint nodded and took the man's penis into his mouth. He took everything that the man did to him, not making a sound, or shedding a tear…even as the man fucked his mouth. He figured that he was the property of this man and that he could use him in any way that he chose.

He had yelped when he'd be pulled up roughly by his collar and dragged to his room. As he was thrown onto the floor, he'd scrambled to his knees, putting his hands behind his back and put his head down. The lights had gone out and he had let the tears fall silently down his face.

Phil just looked at the young man who sat across from him. He was concerned, Clint's head was down, his breathing was oddly even and he seemed to be staring at the floor without looking at anything. This had gone on too long for Phil's liking, he walked over to his pet. He placed a hand under the man's chin and pushed his head up so that he was looking at him. For the first few seconds there was nothing in Clint's eyes but emptiness and then he seemed to come back to himself.

"I'm sorry Sir." He took a deep breath to try and calm himself. He knew that he was screwing this up; he knew that even the kindest of owners would eventually turn to beating him for his transgressions. He knew that he deserved to be punished; he also knew that a good sub would admit their mistakes and take whatever punishments their owner saw fit to give them. He took another deep breath. "Sir, if I have been unsatisfactory or if I have displeased you in any way, I will gladly accept whatever punishment you see fit to give me."

Coulson shook his head, this was a lot worse then he had previously thought. He removed his hand from Clint's chin, and as soon as he did Clint let his head drop back down so that he stared at the floor again. "Clint, you haven't done anything wrong. You have been perfect. I was just wondering why you weren't eating. If you don't like it, I can give you something else. I want you to eat."

Clint wanted to prove that he could be good. He wanted to make Coulson proud of him and he wanted to prove to himself that he could be good. Phil had said that he wanted him to eat, so he picked up the spoon and managed to take a mouthful of soup. As the semi-warm liquid hit the back of his throat, he had to resist the urge to vomit.

Phil took the spoon away from him (he had still been holding it but his hand was shaking so badly that Phil was amazed that there was no soup spilled on the table). He put both of his hands on Clint's shoulders, "you don't have to eat just because I said that I wanted you to. You eat when you're hungry." Phil moved so that he was holding onto Clint's hands as he pulled him up out of his chair. Without thinking Clint moved forward so that he could wrap his arms around his owner's waist. He laid his head on Phil's chest as Phil embraced the younger man. He was at a loss for words when he felt his pet's body shake with the sobs that the young man could no longer keep in. They stood there for quite a while, Clint cried into the soft fabric of Phil's dress shirt as Phil rocked back and forth. Phil knew then that he had bit off a bit more than he could chew but he was determined to make this work. He refused to be another person in this young man's life that abandoned him.


	6. Chapter 6

As soon as the younger man stopped crying, Coulson slowly walked him back up the stairs, he had known that he had probably tired himself out. He laid his beautiful pet on the bed, then he walked into the bathroom only to come back a few minutes later with a warm washcloth. He lovingly wiped all the tears tracks and snot from his face before he discarded the washcloth into the hamper. He sat beside his boy on the bed and rubbed soothing patterns in slow circles on his stomach. He saw that the boy had closed his eyes so he pulled his arm away only to be surprised by the death grip that his boy had on his bicep.

"Shhh. It's okay, I'm not going anywhere. I am right here." He resumed rubbing the younger man's stomach, relieved as his pet seem to relax. Coulson used his free hand to fish his phone out of his pocket. He knew that he was in over his head and he knew that there was only one person who could help him. He turned on his phone and dialed Steve Rogers' number.

Steve Rogers was a well-known name in the community. He was the only Dom that had allowed his Submissives to marry and have a family, the only catch to that was that any child from that union would be counted as his. Maria and Howard Stark had been trying for a baby when Steve had went into the ice. As a result of Rogers' disappearance the Starks had been given to a General. When Steve had been found he had resumed ownership of the only Stark in existence, Anthony.

Steve was well-respected and well-liked, he was also one of the longest running Doms within SHIELD, so people often went to him for advice. Despite the fact that his current Sub, Anthony could be a bit of a pain in the ass. Coulson knew that although Tony could appear to be a pain and insubordinate, Steve had that young man under his thumb. That was also why Coulson figured that he was the only one that would be able to help him.

He dialed Steve's number and was about ready to hang up when the line was finally picked up.

"Captain Steven Rogers' Residence. Anthony Stark speaking."

Coulson smiled. The young man who had answered the phone sounded a little out of breath and really stuffy. It was clear to Coulson that either he had been being punished for running his mouth again or he'd been trying very hard not to come in his pants. And Coulson knew that Steve tended to use orgasm denial as a form of punishment for Tony. It was most likely a combination of the two. "Is Captain Rogers at home? It's Agent Couslon."

"One moment."

Coulson could tell Tony had pressed the mute button. There was a pause of a few seconds before the line was picked up again and this time it was Steve. "Hello Phil. I apologize for Anthony, he seems to he forgotten his phone manners."

Phil had laughed. "I'm sure you'll give him a refreshers course. I'm calling because I feel as though I have bit off more than I could chew, concerning the new boy that I have. I was wondering if you would be able to help me."

Steve had wondered when Phil would ask for his help. When they had found Clint he had been being held in one of the worst conditions that Steve had ever seen (and he had seen a lot being that he was a soldier). But Steve knew that when a sub was found naked, caged and neglected; abuse was always a factor. "Of course, I would be more than happy to talk to the both of you. Bring him by anytime."

Phil sighed. "I can't thank you enough. I'm still fuming over what Fury did. He knew…"

Steve had put his hand over his eyes. "He knew that you would take care of him. As far as I can tell Clint Barton had been a Submissive in one form or another since he was young, he was probably too young to even realize what he was being groomed for. Being that as it is, having a Master, doing what he's told in order to please that person, serving is the only thing that he's ever known. The fact that he's been mistreated so badly and told that what he was doing was wrong and that he was bad, his self esteem and his self worth have both been shattered. You have to understand that this is going to take time, there isn't going to be a quick fix. Outside of our sessions, you need to be consistent." Steve waited for everything that he said to sink in and for Coulson to respond.

Phil took another breath. "I know."

Steve smiled. "Okay. I look forward to meeting the two of you and don't worry I'll make sure that Anthony is on his best behaviour." He gave Tony a warning glance as he spoke. Tony knowing when to dig his heels in and when to remain silent, he lowered his gaze and bowed his head, falling to his knees.

Phil had smiled. He had a hard time imagining anyone getting Tony Stark to be the model of obedience but he knew that when Steve Rogers said that he would make sure of something then you could count on that something happening. Before he hung up the phone, he chuckled. "I'm sure he will."


	7. Chapter 7

For the majority of the next day, Phil was content to let his boy sleep. There were things that he needed to straighten out. He called S.H.I.E.L.D. and let them know that he would be out of the office for the next few days. Then he had called Steve to let him know that Clint and him would be by to visit him within the next day. He finished up the field reports that he had brought home from the office, as well as the preliminary reports on Clint and a rough schedule of doctor's visits and such that he knew eventually Clint would have to go to. He knew that he needed to get his boy micro chipped as soon as possible. Once he'd finished with that he took note that it was well into the afternoon, if he didn't wake his pet up, he would miss lunch.

As Phil made his way to the bedroom he thought about his boy. He had a room made up for him but he had known that for the time being it was safer and would make his pet feel more secure and like he belonged to him if they shared a room. He knew that in time Clint would realize that this was his home and that he was never going to leave it. Phil entered the bedroom and sighed at what he saw, it was a scene that he was becoming all too familiar with. Clint was curled into a fetal position, hands protecting his head as he rocked and sobbed into the mattress.

When Phil approached the bed he couldn't help but remember what Fury had told him when he had said that he had arranged for Phil to take over ownership of the boy; he needed someone firm but gentle. He also knew that Steve had been right he needed to be consistent. He was pretty sure that up until now Clint's life had been a mixture of fear, turmoil and pain. He knew what Clint really needed at the moment was a place where he felt safe and the security that came with a well-established routine. He knew that part of what made him a good owner so the fact that he had an uncanny ability to know what his Subs needed and being able to provide it.

He sat next to the shaking mess that was his Sub. He started the waking up process by rubbing slow circles on Clint's back, until his breathing evened out and he seemed to calm down. "Clint, sweetheart. I think that you should get up now."

At the sound of his Masters voice he sat up, even though he'd wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep. He couldn't say why he was so tired but he had no desire to disobey. After all, Coulson was being so kind and very patient but Clint knew better. He knew that if he didn't start acting in the expected manner, being a good pet, showing his owner that he could what he needed, then the beatings would start.

Coulson smiled gently at him. "Let's get you showered and changed." He grabbed Clint's wrist and pulled him out of the bed and into the bathroom. Clint was surprised to find a bath already waiting for him. His hands shook as he undressed but he did his best to hide it. He wasn't all that shocked when Phil got undressed as well.

Once Clint was naked (except for his collar, it was still locked firmly around his neck. It was a comfort to him to know that he couldn't have removed it if he had wanted to), he kneeled on the ground, head bowed with his hands behind his back as he waited.

By that time Phil was completely naked and put a hand on Clint's shoulder; there was still so much about his pets behaviours that he didn't completely understand. Clint stood up, the minute that the hand was placed on his shoulder, his head was still bowed and his hands were still clasped behind him, as he waited for his instructions. Phil shook his head slightly (he didn't want Clint to think that he was doing something wrong) "Get in the tub." As he watched Clint climb into the warm water he knew that if he had to give him step by step instructions they were never going to leave the house.


	8. Chapter 8

After they were both cleaned and had lunch, Phil decided that then would be as good of a time as any to visit Steve. So when lunch was finished and Phil was in his study looking over his paper work and Clint was kneeling on the floor, head bowed and with his hands behind his back Phil tried to figure out the best way to go about it. That was when he realized that the only way to go about it was to just do it. Clint's eyes were closed and his breathing was even; Phil knew that he wasn't asleep but he also knew that his boy had to be bored. He put his hand on his pet's head and gently pulled his hair. It wasn't painful or threatening. It was just to let him know that he was still there.

Phil sighed and shut his laptop off. "You're so good. Look at you, sitting so quietly. What a good boy." At the words that came out of Phil's mouth, Clint pushed up into the hand that was still on his head. "I think you deserve to go for an outing. Up."

Without hesitation Clint stood with his head still bowed but his hands were in front of him as he waited for further instruction. Phil smiled at his pet, this beautiful boy had been mishandled for so long and really all he wanted to do was be loved. Phil placed his hand on the small of his pets back, just for a minute to gently rub a circle, this seemed to relax Clint. He grabbed Clint's wrist and lead him out of the house. "Get in the car."

Clint walked so that he was near the rear of the car and opened the door, getting into the back seat. Phil almost told him to get into the front seat but he knew that Clint was more than likely expecting the worst, never mind the fact that he was already going to meeting new people, he didn't want to take all of his comfort zones away from him. Not all at once.

The drive to Steve's was silent. Phil had been a bit worried, every time he looked in the rearview mirror his boy had his head down with his hands in front of him but then he remembered that this was probably just part of Clint's training. Clint on the other hand was more nervous then when he had been dropped at SHIELD's doorstep. There were a million scenarios' that ran through his mind and none of them were good. Yes, he knew that Phil had signed all of his documents so that he was his but what if he was handing him off to someone else? What if the adjustment period that he had taken was too long and Phil had decided that he didn't want him? All of these were terrible. He took a deep breath to calm his frayed nerves. If Phil decided that he was unworthy then he would take his punishment. He could be good, he could be everything that Phil wanted, needed him to be. All he had to do was prove to Phil that he was worth keeping.

When they approached the door, Phil could tell that his pet was having a hard time. He was standing on the porch, with his hands in front of him and his head bowed but he was shaking. Phil took both of his pet's wrists in his hands, which forced him to turn so that they were facing each other. "Look at me."

"Yes Sir." Clint lifted his head and looked into Phil's eyes. He expected to see frustration, anger or hatred but what he saw was compassion, sympathy and love.

"If there is something worrying you, I want to know about it." As he spoke, he placed his hand on the side of his pets face, loving how he leaned onto the touch.

Clint bit his lip. He wasn't sure if he should tell him what was going through his head. He didn't want to anger his Owner but he knew that if he didn't say something that Phil would be angry anyhow. "Sir, I know that I haven't been exactly what you had in mind, there is no way that I could be. But I can do better, I can be better. Just please, give me a little more time to prove to you that I'm worth it. I don't mean to presume that I know what is on your mind and I will go willingly if that is what you wish." He bowed his head again, trying to swallow the tears that he could feel, crying wasn't going to help and he knew that.

Phil kept his hand where it was, forcing Clint to look at him again as he thumbed away the tear that had made its way down his face. His poor boy thought that he was going to send him away. "Shhh. There's no need for any of that. Nothing is going to happen to you. When this is over you will be coming home with me. Just remember our rules and you'll be fine." He moved his hand so that it was under Clint's chin. He lifted his pet's head and kissed him tenderly on the lips, he smiled as Clint relaxed.

Phil knocked on the door and was greeted by a young man with dark brown hair, well-trimmed goatee and very expressive brown eyes. There was a soft blue light that glowed from under his shirt and the young man immediately bowed his head with his hands clasped in front of him.

"Master Coulson. Master Rogers is in the sitting room. May I take your coat?" He held out his left hand without raising his head.

Coulson smiled, Steve did say that he would make sure that Anthony would be on his best behaviour. Phil handed his coat to the young man and once it was hung up he lead them both to the sitting room. As they entered the room Clint had to resist the urge to look up and as soon as Phil stopped walking he had to resist the urge to kneel. He wanted to prove to Phil that he could be good and every fiber in his being wanted to kneel at his feet.

Almost as if he could feel what his boy was feeling Phil grabbed Clint's wrist. The hold that he had was tight but not painful and it seemed to ground Clint as Phil walked all the way into the room and approached the man that was sitting on one of the arm chairs. Phil tipped his head in a greeting. "Captain Rogers."

The tall blond man stood and embraced Phil with a gentleness that someone that muscular shouldn't be capable of. "Phil, it's been too long."

"I agree." Phil said as he returned the embrace.

Steve eyed Clint uneasily. Steve thought there was something strange about the collared man. Strange or not he'd taken a step towards Clint, putting a hand under his chin, forcing his head up, as he looked him over. He thought that this pet was beautiful and purple was definitely his colour. It took all the will power that Clint had not to jerk out of Steve's grasp and to keep his eyes trained on the floor.

Phil knew that Clint was uncomfortable and very close to panicking; he could feel his pet shake. He knew that he needed to calm him down, so he took the wrist that he was still holding, turning it so that the under side of Clint's wrist was facing up and he had begun to rub a soothing circle on the sensitive skin with his thumb. 

Steve gently let Clint's head drop back down. "You have a very beautiful boy. You should come sit with me, I am sure that we have a lot to catch up on."

Phil walked over to where Steve had sat and settled himself on the couch just as Tony had walked into the room. He placed two tumblers of Whiskey in front of both Doms and then arranged himself in Steve's lap. The way he was sitting, it reminded Phil of a cat.

Clint had been kneeling on the floor beside Phil. When the two Doms had first sat down, Clint had been on his knees, with his hands behind his back and his head down. He had his eyes closed and was trying to calm his nerves by counting, that had not worked. So he had inched closer to Phil, and had snaked a hand inside Phil's pant leg to wrap his hand around Phil's ankle. He knew that he should have stayed in his original position but he needed to feel Phil's skin under his fingers.

Phil might have been talking to Steve about the new protocols that SHIELD had put into place but he was completely aware of his pet and what he had been doing; and it didn't escape Phil's attention that Clint was shaking. Phil spread his legs; he knew what his pet needed. As soon as Phil had spread his legs, Clint crawled in between them. Clint was kneeling so that he could hug Phil's leg and he relaxed into the touch when Phil carded his fingers through Clint's short hair.

Clint was lost in the sensation of Phil's fingers gently pulling at his hair or massaging his scalp to realize what was really going on but Tony knew. After all he lived with Steve and had long enough to see this scenario a dozen times or more. He curled further into the safety of Steve's lap as Steve gently rubbed the back of his neck. Steve was always so gentle; he thought that everyone should treat their Subs with respect and that a Dom's number one priority should be their Subs comfort and well being; even during punishment. He was always trying to fix the Pets or Subs that his friends would acquire that had less than responsible Dom's in the past. But Tony was smarter than that; he knew that not everyone could be saved. Steve had told him about the Sub that he had had in the Army and what had happened to him. He still wondered what his life would have been like had Bucky lived, he snuggled further into the warmth, letting himself drift further down; knowing that he could. Knowing that he was safe.

Clint, on the other hand was still on his knees, hugging Phil's leg. He had tangled his arm around the limb so that he could lay his face on Phil's knee while still giving Phil access to his head. His eyes were still closed, he was relaxed and completely unaware that the meeting taking place had very little to do with the protocols and more to do with him. Clint shivered involuntarily when Phil's hand would drift from his hair to the top of his collar, slowly rubbing circles on the nape of his neck and then make its way back up to his hair. Each time he shivered, Phil chuckled.

The entire time that they were talking Steve was carefully rubbing at Anthony's neck, occasionally playing with his jaw line or absent-mindedly rubbing a finger along his boy's bottom lip, occasionally causing Tony to open his mouth and snake his tongue around the digit. It wasn't as sexual as it may have seemed, Steve knew that Anthony had an oral fixation and when he was feeling particularly agitated, uncomfortable, tired or deep in thought it wasn't unusual for him to put things in his mouth.

Phil looked down at his boy when there was a lull in the conversation and then back at Steve. "What do you think?"

Steve closed his eyes briefly as he rubbed Tony's back. Anthony had moved so that he was straddling Steve's lap, just to put his head in the crook of his owner's neck. "I don't understand why someone would be mean to him. Throughout this entire conversation he has been perfect, such a well behaved pet."

Phil nodded, and petted Clint's hair. "He's been such a good boy."

Steve smiled as Clint seemed to sit up a bit straighter, leaning into Phil's touch. Phil wasn't surprised at his reaction of being called a good boy. He was pretty sure that gentle touches and positive praise was something that his pet didn't receive very often. Steve cocked an eyebrow at Phil.

Phil smiled at Steve, seeming to know exactly what the other man was thinking. "I haven't marked him yet. I haven't really done anything except the standard paperwork, pre-arranged appointments and of course; this." As he said the last part, he gently lifted the ring that was on the front of Clint's collar.

The action caused Clint to lift his head. And when Steve looked at the boy, despite the fact that Phil was still using his other hand to gently tug Clint's hair, there was panic on Clint's face making him look even younger. Steve watched with an air of curiosity as Clint's eyes glazed over.

Clint was remembering all the things he'd tried so hard to forget. It was an incident that had happened when he had first disobeyed his owner, and it hadn't been on purpose. He was one of the first owners that Clint had ever had (that had been so long ago he couldn't even remember the man's name). All he knew from that man was pain. Clint was brought back to himself as Phil had moved. To Clint's horror he was kneeling in front of him, stroking his face and muttering softly into his ear.

Steve put his hand on the back of Tony's neck and squeezed gently. This woke the young man up enough that he slithered down Steve's body to land neatly on the floor, his kneeling in between the Captain's legs. Steve reached down and lifted his chin, staring into those soulful brown eyes. 'It's getting late. Why don't you and Clint go wait by the front door?"

"Yes sir." As Tony slowly stood and grabbed Clint by the hand he smiled. He would have liked to stay wrapped in the safety of Steve's strong arms forever, but they had talked before their company arrived. It had been made perfectly clear that he was to be on his best behaviour, a model pet, the perfect sub. It had also been made clear that there would be consequences should he even think of disobeying. And when Master Rogers said that there would be consequences; chances are there would be and he wouldn't like any of them. No, it was best to do as he was told.

As soon as Tony and Clint had disappeared into the main hall Phil deflated in the armchair that was closest to Steve.

"That last part was interesting." As he spoke Steve's blue eyes came to rest on Phil's care-worn face.

Phil covered his eyes with his hand, almost as if he were trying to block out an invisible light. "It's no secret that Clint's past has been a living hell. He has flashbacks; at least I think that's what they are, we have yet to discuss it, whenever he thinks that he is doing something wrong. It's supposed to be m job to protect him, that being owned is about love not pain."

Steve hummed thoughtfully. "I think that you have your work cut out for you but at the same time I think that if anyone can undo the years of damage that has been done to him it's you."


End file.
